1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a case and lock for storing and securing recorded media such as DVDs, CDs, memory cards, and the like, and more particularly to a case and lock which can more effectively protect recording media from theft.
2. Description of the Related Art
Storage cases are frequently used for storing recording media. A typical storage case comprises a top cover pivotably coupled to a bottom cover through a spine. The recording medium is placed in the bottom cover and the top cover is closed on the bottom cover to retain the recording medium therein. These storage cases can be displayed in a retail or rental environment where potential customers pick up and examine the storage case to determine whether they are interested in buying or renting the media stored therein. As many potential customers handle these storage cases, it is necessary to provide a locking mechanism to deter potential thieves from stealing stored media.
A typical prior art lock is a rigid structure placed around both the top and bottom covers at a portion of the storage case which is distal from the spine. The rigid lock maintains the top and bottom covers coupled together thereby inhibiting access to the inside of the storage case.
By disposing the lock at a portion of the storage case distal from the spine, however, and external to both the top and bottom covers, the lock increases the area of the lock-case combination. Many display shelves are designed to store cases of a specified cross-sectional area and volume—e.g. VSDA (Video Software Dealers Association) standards. By adding a lock to a case which already has such a cross sectional area that conforms to these standards, the lock-case combination may become too large to fit on these shelves. If the case itself is reduced in size so that the lock-case combination conforms to VSDA standards, it becomes difficult to integrate the lock and case with existing automated equipment. Moreover, storage cases typically have paper inserts describing the contents of the case to a potential customer. If the case is altered in size, the size of these paper inserts needs to be altered which also affects manufacturing.
There exists, therefore, a need in the art for a storage case and lock which can be assembled using standard automation equipment, be displayed on shelves using a standardized format (such as VSDA) and which still prevents a thief from gaining access to the receding medium stored therein.